


I've Been Waiting for You

by ShowMeAHero



Series: Lightning in a Bottle [10]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Babies, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Kid Fic, M/M, Pregnancy, Sibling Love, Siblings, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trans Character, Wedding Fluff, Wedding Planning, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 02:35:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15500415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShowMeAHero/pseuds/ShowMeAHero
Summary: Taako plans a wedding in less than two weeks. Lup gets some help from the Raven Queen. Barry cries a lot.





	I've Been Waiting for You

**Author's Note:**

> I remain chaos incarnate.
> 
> Also, I just realized this is 6969 words. Lup would be so proud of me. I dedicate this to her.
> 
> The title was taken from ["I've Been Waiting For You"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ7C127Q-GY) by ABBA.

“First things first,” Lup says, fourteen days before the wedding. Taako looks up from the eggs he’s scrambling. “We need to choose a date.”

“How much time do we really need?” Barry asks. “To plan a wedding, I mean.”

Taako and Lup both look at him with the same exasperated expression. Barry’s brow furrows.

“I hate when you do that,” he comments. “So, like, a week, maybe?”

“A week,” Taako scoffs. “You hear that, babe? He said a _week.”_

“We need as much time as possible,” Lup says. “We’re gonna run out the clock on this one. We’re gonna do it the _last_ possible day we fucking can.”

“That’s not risky or anything,” Magnus says. Lup points at him, then holds a finger to her lips. Magnus returns his attention to wrestling Blaine into her chair.

“Taako, I want you to be my best man,” Lup says. Taako takes the pan off its burner.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Taako replies. _“Obviously_ I’ll do it.”

“Magnus, I want you to be mine,” Barry says. Magnus looks up at him, clearly surprised. He turns to Kravitz, then back to Barry, freezing for just a moment before he lets Blaine go and barrels over to lift Barry off the ground in a hug.

“Of course I’ll be your best man!” Magnus exclaims. He drops Barry to the ground. “God, do I need a suit with sleeves? I don’t have one.”

“Yes, you fucking do need one,” Lup says. She turns and points at Taako. “As my best man, you _have_ to help me with everything. You _have to._ It’s in the law.”

“Alright, fine, I’ll help you with your stupid fantasy-shotgun wedding,” Taako tells her. Lup throws an orange at his head, but he catches it and flings it right back.

* * *

Twelve days before the wedding, Lup finally has her guest list, of people she both wants there and she thinks can actually make it there. As it turns out, Davenport’s close enough that he’ll just barely make it, and he agrees to be their officiant, having been their captain and all.

“After that, it’s basically just handing out jobs,” Lup says. She invites Lucretia over for dinner and asks her to be her bridesmaid over dessert, and Lucretia cries so much Taako is genuinely worried she’ll become dehydrated.

“If you need any help, at _all,_ you just let me know,” Lucretia says.

“I’m gonna fucking hold you to that ” Taako replies. He’s been stitching dresses for two days already.

Merle is easy; Barry calls him on his Stone of Far Speech, explains the situation, and Merle immediately agrees to be his groomsman. He says he’ll set out right away, and he’s bringing Mavis and Mookie.

“That’s two more guests,” Lup says. Taako flings a spool of thread at her.

“Mookie is going to eat me out of _house and home,”_ Taako shouts at her. She throws the spool back and laughs.

Barry and Lup both ask Kravitz and Angus to be groomsmen, and argue lightly over who gets who until Angus goes with Lup and Kravitz goes with Barry, once they draw straws. Lup slings Angus up over one shoulder and drops him onto the couch. Angus shrieks the whole time. Barry just fist-bumps Kravitz.

“Obviously, our nieces should be our flower girls,” Lup tells Taako. She swings Jules off the ground, and Jules screams, reaching for Lup’s hair. “And Wyatt should be our ring bearer.”

“That’s a lot to ask from him, I won’t lie to you,” Taako comments. Wyatt’s strapped onto his back, lightly dozing. Lup comes over and runs her fingernails through his hair.

“He’s my favorite nephew, though,” Lup says. She leans into Taako’s face. “He’s perfect for it.”

“If you say so,” Taako tells her. Lup grins and kisses Wyatt on the cheek.

After that, the guest list of people who can actually make it is pretty slim. There’s, of course, Mavis and Mookie, and Carey and Killian, and Avi, and Ren, and Susan (their neighbor, who Taako _hates,_ and who he’s pretty sure is stealing from his garden). Besides them, and the wedding party, that’s about it.

“And it’s gonna be fucking _lit,”_ Lup says. She high-fives Taako so hard his hand stings. “That’s my work for today done. I’m gonna go take a nap.”

“Fuck you,” Taako says, muffled a little from the needle between his teeth. She pats him on the shoulder and leaves him in the living room.

* * *

When there’s only ten days left, Kravitz bursts into the living room like it’s the second fucking coming of Christ.

“You need a band,” Kravitz exclaims. Lup stares at him.

“You can be in charge of that,” she says, after a long pause. Kravitz leaves the house completely, and Lup just turns to Taako and shrugs.

It takes Kravitz hours of vetting to choose a band from town he approves of, even though there’s really not _that_ many people in town to even choose from. He’s very particular about his music. He returns with a small group of people and insists everyone comes outside and listens to them play. Taako stands next to Magnus, watching them skeptically.

“I don’t know what this is supposed to sound like,” Magnus says, to Taako, in a low voice. “It’s, like… pretty?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Taako whispers back.

“Good work, Krav,” Lup tells Kravitz, before the song’s even over. She turns to the band. “If you guys play at my wedding next week, you can eat there for free.”

“We’re in,” one of the singers says. Lup turns back to Taako and gives him a thumbs-up. Taako groans.

“Stop fucking inviting people,” Taako tells her. She shrugs, then turns, looking at Taako’s garden.

“Hey,” she says. Taako already knows where this is going. “Can we have the wedding out here? It’s pretty much perfect.”

“Yeah, I know, I grew it,” Taako says. He turns to Barry, who shrugs.

“It is a really pretty garden,” Barry says. “I’ve always liked your willow tree.”

“Fine, fuck it, get married under my willow tree,” Taako says. Lup and Barry high-five.

* * *

Eight days away from the wedding, Lup and Taako finally decide on a menu.

“Raspberry mimosas,” Lup says, reading from their finalized list. “Pesto scones for appetizers. Salmon or chicken for the main course. Pasta for a side, _obvs._ Then, the wedding cake.”

“What kind of fucking cake do you want?” Taako asks, scribbling on another napkin.

“What’re you thinking, babe?” Lup asks Barry, who’s still picking at the pesto scones Taako made for them to test. Barry looks up at them.

“Uhh,” he says. “Well, I mean, I’ve always liked almond.”

“Do we have any nut allergies?” Lup asks Taako.

“I don’t think so,” Taako tells her. “Hazelnut almond would probably—”

“Fucking _hazelnut almond,”_ Lup breathes. “That’s it. That’s the fucking one, we want that, can we make that?”

“I’ll be the one making it, and, yeah, I can make that,” Taako says, writing it all out on the napkin before he adds it to the finalized menu. “I can do the flowers, too. From my garden.”

“You’re the best brother _ever,”_ Lup says. She leans over and kisses his cheek. “Fucking _hazelnut almond,_ I’m gonna nut.”

“Please don’t,” Taako says. “Wait until I actually make it.”

“Even then, restrain yourself,” Barry comments. Lup laughs and kisses his cheek, too.

* * *

When there’s six days left, Taako calls in Barry’s help to finish Lup’s dress. He’s already finished Lucretia’s bridesmaid dress, everyone’s ties, Blaine and Jules’ flower girl dresses, and his own best man dress. Lup’s has been the most time-consuming, but also the most beautiful, and Barry’s doing all of his own embroidery and detailing on it.

“It’s fucking lovely,” Barry comments. Taako’s still stitching down at the hem while Barry’s detailing around the waist. “Really. You did a great job.”

“Only the best for my sister,” Taako says, pulling the thread taut with his teeth. After a moment, he looks up at Barry. “Speaking of.”

“Oh, God,” Barry says. “I thought we could skip this, maybe. I have known her for over a hundred years. Became a lich with her, died for her, all that kind of—”

“Doesn’t matter,” Taako cuts him off. “I’m still her brother, and I still need to tell you, that if you _ever_ fuck up with her, or even _consider_ fucking up with her, I’ll beat your ass so hard you’ll fucking un-lich and die on the spot, you hear me?”

“I hear you,” Barry agrees. “I’d never hurt her, though. Or fuck up with her.”

“Barry, you better not, because I kinda don’t want to kill you,” Taako tells him. He starts on a new row of stitches. “You’ll be a good husband and a good dad. Never tell anyone I said that.”

“You’re nicer than you let on,” Barry says. Taako throws a thimble at him.

“Shut the fuck up, Barold, it’s bad enough we have to be brothers now,” Taako snaps. Barry lets the thimble bounce off his face as he continues working, smiling down at his hands.

Angus and Kravitz personally set out to make and send the invitations. There’s not many, but they work painstakingly at them, making sure every detail is right. Angus adds an insane amount of glitter to each one, and Kravitz writes like he’s a master of calligraphy, and Taako whistles when he sees them all laid out on the table.

“Did you make one for them to save?” Taako asks. Angus slumps down over the counter, dropping his forehead onto the tabletop. Kravitz rubs his back.

“We can do this,” Kravitz tells him. Taako leaves them to it.

* * *

Things are getting down to the wire; it’s only four days out from the wedding when Taako goes to Magnus’ workshop to check on the progress of Lup’s and Barry’s rings. Magnus volunteered to make them, and he’s been working hard at them every single day, even though he doesn’t let anyone see them. Taako’s seen the prototypes all over the floor in the workshop, though, and he knows Magnus is pouring his heart and soul into his project.

“Any luck today?” Taako asks, leaning in the doorway to the workshop. Magnus doesn’t even look up at him, leaning so far over his workbench that Taako’s genuinely worried he’s gonna fuck up his posture.

“I think I’ve got it,” Magnus tells him. He motions him in, and Taako goes, shutting the door behind him. He scoops up the two rings in his hand and reaches for Taako’s hand. Taako gives it, and Magnus pours the rings into his palm. Taako holds them up to his eyes, and exhales, because they’re _beautiful._ They’re both carved from wood to look like vines, criss-crossing to form a band, with sparkling red jewels set into the band in a twisting pattern like cherries. Taako twists them between his fingertips to let them catch the light.

“They’re awesome, Mags,” Taako says. Magnus tugs him into his side and kisses him hard on the temple. “Really. Good work.”

“Thanks.” Magnus reaches out and plucks Barry’s ring from Taako’s hand, examining it again himself. “Hopefully they like them, too.”

“Obviously they will, don’t be stupid,” Taako tells him. Magnus kisses him again, then takes Lup’s ring, too, setting them both down in a little carved box before flipping the lid shut. He then looks at Taako for a long, long moment, long enough that Taako says, “What? Fucking staring, you know that’s creepy, dude—”

“You’re really pretty,” Magnus says. Taako scoffs.

“What the—” he starts to say, but he’s cut off when Magnus hoists him up onto his workbench. He slots himself in between Taako’s legs and kisses him, slowly, then more intensely.

“Next to Lup’s rings?” Taako asks breathlessly, when Magnus moves to kiss Taako’s neck instead. “She’ll _know.”_

“Fine,” Magnus says. He moves away, taking the box with the rings and stuffing it in the corner of the room. He goes back to the workbench and hitches Taako’s skirt up, gets down on his knees in front of him on the workbench, and Taako lets him focus on something else besides the rings for a change.

* * *

When there’s two days left, the forecast is good enough that Taako recruits Angus, Magnus, and Kravitz to help him start decorating the garden.

“Can we use glitter?” Angus asks. Magnus takes the container of glitter away from him.

“Fucking _no,”_ Taako says. “I saw your invitations.”

“They were good invitations,” Kravitz whispers to Angus. Taako flings a box of streamers at his head.

“Start stringing,” Taako orders. Angus and Kravitz string streamers while Magnus helps Taako pick and rearrange flowers around the willow tree. They dig up enough chairs for seating and arrange them, too, in front of the willow tree. Kravitz takes it upon himself to craft them a makeshift little platform to stand on while they say their vows and all that shit.

“Should we get Davenport a stool or something?” Magnus asks, looking at the platform, hands on his hips. Taako, his arms full of flower petals, shakes his head.

“Don’t patronize him,” Taako says. He dumps the petals into Magnus’ arms. “Save these, Blaine and Jules need them.”

“Cool,” Magnus says. He starts stuffing his pockets with petals.

When their work is finished, Taako steps back, admiring it all from a distance. Magnus and Kravitz are still fixing the platform, and Taako holds up his hands, framing them like they’re in a fantasy photograph. Magnus looks up and winks at him.

“Holy _shit,_ it looks _amazing,”_ Lup exclaims from behind him. Taako turns, and she’s already there, hugging him, then punching his arm. “Jeez, who would’ve thought you’d be such a fucking sap about all this?”

“I’m not being a fucking sap, I’m the only one here with any design sense at all,” Taako tells her. Lup yanks him in with an arm around his shoulders.

“Looks fucking good, bro,” Lup comments. Taako winds his arm around her waist, and she rests her head on his shoulder.

“Had to waste it on marrying Barry fucking Bluejeans,” Taako says, after a nice, quiet moment. Lup shoves at him, laughing.

* * *

The day before the wedding, people start arriving with the expectation that they can stay overnight. Magnus lays down blankets and pillows all over the living room. Lucretia and Davenport take the guest room; when Taako looks in to see if they’ve finished unpacking, they’ve already built a pillow wall dividing the bed in two.

Mavis and Mookie have to share a room with Angus. Angus looks desperately to Taako, who shrugs.

“We all make sacrifices for family, pumpkin,” Taako tells him. “I have to share a bed with Magnus.” Mookie runs up and picks Angus up off the ground, spinning him around while Angus stares Taako down as best as he can.

“Sorry, he’s excitable,” Mavis apologizes for him. Taako leaves Angus to his new friends and helps Avi find the toothpaste in their bathroom.

By the end of the day, their house is jam-packed with fucking people and gifts and food and clothes and all sorts of bullshit. Taako and Lup stand in the kitchen alone while Taako finishes frosting the cake; they only have a couple candles lighting the room for them, since everybody’s already asleep.

“Tomorrow’s gonna be fucking awesome,” Lup whispers. Taako keeps frosting, keeping his hands steady as he moves.

“Hell yeah,” Taako tells her. Lup hops up on one of the stools at the kitchen island, looking the cake over with her chin in her hands.

“Did you ever think we’d make it here?” Lup asks, after a little while. Taako keeps his eyes on his work. “Our own house. Big family. I’m getting the fuck _married_ to a really cool dude tomorrow.”

“Honestly, I didn’t think we would,” Taako admits. He puts his knife down to look at her. “But I always hoped we might. Especially you. You always wanted it so bad.”

Lup looks into the living room where everybody is sleeping. She smiles a little, to herself.

“Not such a bad thing to want,” she says. Taako reaches over and squeezes her wrist.

“Yeah, not the worst,” he agrees. He goes back to frosting. “I’ll be sending you my bill in the mail, by the way.”

“Then I’ll send you a bill for babysitting,” Lup shoots back.

“Point taken,” Taako says. “Go get some sleep, what’re you fucking doing up? You’re getting married tomorrow. Don’t make my job harder by staying up so late I’ve gotta do fucking intense makeup around your eyes.”

“Don’t stay up too late,” Lup says, hopping up off the stool and kissing his cheek, like she doesn’t know he’ll be up until he’s sure everything is perfect.

* * *

On the day of Lup’s wedding, Taako gets up early to drag Lup to his bathroom.

“You’re not supposed to see her in the dress,” Taako tells Barry, who squints at him from his bed, glasses still folded up on his bedside table. “It’s a human rule, isn’t it?”

“I helped you _make_ her dress,” Barry points out. Lup flips Barry off.

“You’re a human, I’ll follow human rules,” Lup says. Barry just flips her off right back and huddles back under his covers.

“I’m sending Magnus in to get you dressed soon,” Taako tells him, but Barry’s already fast asleep again. Taako escorts Lup to the kitchen, where he gives her the breakfast he’d made before he woke her up. She chews on her orange slices and looks at him.

“What’re you thinking?” Lup asks him. He takes a bite from the scrambled eggs on her plate.

“I want this day to be perfect for you,” Taako tells her. Lup pats him on the cheek with her sticky orange hand.

“It will be,” Lup says. He shoves her hand off and helps her stand. They stop off at his bedroom before they make it to the bathroom; Taako kicks the door open, startling both Kravitz and Magnus, who sits straight up and squints at them.

“What’s goin’ on?” Magnus asks, blearily. Kravitz just pulls their blankets up over his head.

“You’ve gotta help Barry start getting ready,” Taako tells him. “Kravitz, you have to help Angus and then make him help you with the kids. I’ll do their hair after I’m done with Lup if you need help.”

“I can do Angus’ and Wyatt’s hair,” Kravitz mumbles at him. “Leave me alone.”

“Not until you get up,” Taako tells them. Magnus drags himself out of bed, then hauls Kravitz up with him. Kravitz glares at Taako. “It’s an _important day.”_

“Yeah, okay,” Kravitz replies, rubbing at his face. Taako knows Kravitz doesn’t even _need_ sleep, so he doesn’t feel all that bad. He abandons them there to bring Lup to his bathroom. He sits her down on the closed toilet and sets to work. He does her makeup first; he’d already painted her nails the day before, and she got enough sleep that his job isn’t all that hard. She looks beautiful regardless, already, so it doesn’t take very long. He does her hair next; she’s shaved half of it and dyed it all purple for today, and he thinks it looks bomb. He curls the half that’s still there, and it falls to her chin in perfect spirals. She grins at him.

“How’s it look?” she asks, and he helps her stand to look in the mirror. _“Hell_ yeah, I’m gonna be the prettiest one there.”

“You already are, every time, don’t be fucking stupid,” Taako tells her. “Stay here.”

She sits back down, and Taako leaves to retrieve her dress from his closet. He comes back and helps her into it. As he’s buttoning up the back, he can hear people stirring in the hall outside; probably everyone’s waking up and eating the breakfast he laid out for them.

“I need help putting my shoes on,” Lup tells him, and Taako sighs.

“You know I can’t get on the floor,” Taako says. Lup just holds out the shoes, so Taako goes and gets Magnus.

“Barry’s all dressed,” Magnus tells them, as he kneels on the bathroom floor and slides Lup’s shoes on for her. “Kravitz’s got the kids dressed, finished Ango’s hair, and now he’s trying to get Wyatt to sit still long enough to finish his braids.”

“Awesome,” Taako says. He looks Magnus over. “Now _you’ve_ gotta get dressed.”

“Speak for yourself,” Magnus says, and, shit, yeah, Taako forgot about getting _himself_ dressed. He kisses Lup’s cheek.

“Be right back,” he tells her. He runs to his room, then comes back to the bathroom with his dress and shoes and his own makeup. Lup helps him out, does his hair while he does his makeup in the mirror, then she and Magnus help him into his dress.

“I’m going to go do Jules’ and Blaine’s hair,” Taako tells her. “Don’t fuck your dress up.”

“It looks really pretty,” Magnus says. It is really pretty; it clings to her chest and abdomen in white stain, then drapes the full length of her body like a himation. Barry’s embroidery has an explosion of colorful flower petals twining up and down from her waist. Taako thinks it’s the best thing they’ve made so far. She has a crown of flowers and ivy in her hair, crafted by Magnus the day before, and it makes her look like a wood-fairy, not that Taako’s ever met one.

“Thanks, Mags,” Lup says. She kisses Magnus on the cheek, and Magnus grins at her. Taako leaves them there to go to the nursery, where he finds Wyatt struggling against Kravitz as Kravitz tries in vain to braid his hair. Wyatt reaches for Taako and screams when he sees him. Taako sighs.

“Give him to me,” Taako says. Kravitz hands him over, and Taako takes him to the rocking chair, sitting with him until he calms down. He holds him in place while Kravitz stands over them and finishes off his hair.

“You’ll have to help me with the girls,” Taako tells him. “Pick one, Blaine or Jules.”

Kravitz looks over at them. Blaine’s asleep on the floor. He says, “Jules.”

“Fuck you,” Taako replies. He hands Wyatt to him and crouches down over Blaine. He strokes her back lightly to wake her up, and she blinks at him, frowning. “Come on. Let’s do your hair.”

“No,” Blaine says. Taako sighs again and takes her hand, helping her up. He braids her hair back, the only real option with their thick curls. He makes a tight fishtail braid, and Kravitz imitates him, following his hand movements to do the same for Jules.

“Where’s Ango?” Taako asks, as he wraps the end of Blaine’s braid with an elastic, then covers that with a ribbon.

“He’s helping Lucretia finish setting up the garden,” Kravitz tells him, most of his attention dead-focused on the ribbon he’s trying to tie into Jules’ hair. “Davenport’s setting out your food for you.”

“Awesome, because I’m fucking tired,” Taako says. Kravitz reaches over and pats him absently on the shoulder before returning his attention to the ribbon. “Jesus— Just slide her over to me, I’ll do it, you’re gonna rip her hair out.”

By the time the late afternoon rolls around, everyone has their makeup on, hair done, clothes on, and shoes on. Taako lines everyone in the wedding party up in the living room, save Barry, who’s already outside with Davenport; both of them were already approved by Taako, and by Lup, through the window.

“Alright,” Taako says. “We’ve rehearsed this. You know what you’re doing. Nobody fuck this up, this is for Lulu.”

“I’m right here,” Lup says. Taako waves her off.

“Then you can thank me now,” Taako tells her. She takes his hand and kisses his cheek.

The first ones to go out are Lucretia and Merle, as a pair. There’s not many people actually attending the wedding, but Taako can hear wild cheering anyways. The band is playing some song Kravitz and Barry apparently chose; Taako doesn’t recognize it, but it’s pretty.

“What is this?” Taako whispers to Kravitz. Kravitz glances over his shoulder.

“I wrote it,” Kravitz says. “For them. It’s my gift for them.”

Taako pats him on the cheek. “That’s really nice.”

“Must be, if you’re telling me it is,” Kravitz says, and Taako pinches his arm.

“Shut up,” Taako says, fondly.

Angus is next; he leads Jules by the hand, and she takes halting steps, because she’s barely good at standing, let alone walking. Halfway there, she stops walking entirely, and Angus just has to pick her up and help her dump out her flower petals. The same thing essentially happens with Magnus when he takes Blaine down to the willow tree, and she drops all her flower petals over Barry’s head when Magnus stands beside him on the platform. Barry laughs, and Lup squeezes Taako’s hand.

Kravitz goes next-to-last, with Wyatt, who’s holding the tiny chest with the rings inside of it. He’s chewing on the edge, and Kravitz has to keep pulling it out of his mouth, but he manages to get it to Davenport, who puts it safely on the table beside him.

Last is Lup, and Taako, since he’s escorting her and giving her away. The music’s wonderful, and the weather’s perfect, and the garden’s beautiful, and Taako’s glad he was able to pull this off for Lup, because if anybody deserves this, it’s her.

As soon as Barry sees Lup, he starts crying, which is no less than Taako expected from him. Halfway down their makeshift garden path, Lup leans in.

“He’s such a fucking sap,” she whispers to Taako. “Crying at his own wedding.”

“Yeah, what a baby,” Taako says, even though he can tell Lup’s a little glassy-eyed too. He gets her to the platform, puts her hand in Barry’s, then leans in and says, “Don’t fuck it up, idiots.”

“Love you, too,” Lup replies. Taako squeezes their hands and goes to stand next to Angus. Kravitz sneaks over and hands him Wyatt before retreating back to Barry’s side. Taako bounces Wyatt, tries to get him to stop fussing while he listens to Lup and Barry exchange their vows, which are fucking lovely and handwritten. He can barely hear them, because they’re saying them almost exclusively to each other, but he thinks that’s kind of nice, in a way.

The ceremony doesn’t last long, but Magnus cries through the whole thing. By the time Davenport actually gets the rings out and marries them, Barry’s crying, too, and Lup’s grinning like a madwoman as she kisses him, her hands on either side of his face as she deepens the kiss. Killian whistles from the chairs.

“Alright, time to eat,” Lup announces, once she pulls away from a stunned-looking Barry. Taako passes Wyatt off to Carey so he and Magnus can lay out the food on the tables outside. On Lup’s insistence, he breaks out the cake early, and she and Barry cut it, and Lup looks back to Taako when she takes her first bite.

“Hazelnut almond was the fucking _correct_ choice,” she tells him. “I’m gonna nut now.”

“Wouldn’t be our wedding if you didn’t,” Barry comments, eating his own slice of cake. Lup smears frosting across his face, and he laughs, grabbing her hand and kissing her frosting-covered palm. Taako looks away, smiling down at Blaine in his lap as she chews on a piece of chicken from his plate. She smashes her face into his chest, and he tucks his face into her hair. He looks up when he hears a ripping sound.

“Did you _seriously_ already rip your fucking dress—” he starts asking, but stops when he sees the portal torn in the middle of his lawn. He looks to Kravitz, who looks just as bewildered as he does. Kravitz leaves Wyatt with Angus to investigate the portal, sticking his head inside. When he comes back out, he looks to Lup, smiling.

“The Raven Queen wants to speak with you,” Kravitz says. He offers Lup a hand, hauling her to her feet. She goes to the portal, climbing through. Taako can’t hear what she’s saying, but then Lup sticks her head back through into the garden.

“Hey, apparently we’re in trouble,” Lup calls to Barry. “Mom said we waited too long so I’ve gotta go have this fucking baby now.”

“Right— Like, right now?” Barry asks. “Not, like, in the morning?”

“Apparently no,” Lup says. “Today was our last day.” She beckons to him. “Come on, get over here.”

Barry looks to Magnus, who just smacks him on the shoulder. Barry gets up and follows her through the portal. Lup motions to Taako.

“Come on, bro,” Lup says. “You’ve gotta be there, too.”

“Nothing’s ever easy with you,” Taako tells her. He leaves Blaine with Davenport and follows Lup into the Astral Plane; Kravitz stitches up the portal behind them. The three of them stand before the throne of the Raven Queen, on that fucking weird lake Kravitz always brings them to. Taako ducks out of the way of one of those soul-lights as it hurtles at him.

“Lup, my child, come here,” the Raven Queen says, and Lup goes. The Raven Queen takes Lup’s hand in both of hers, turning it over. “I will help you with this, if you will let me. Do you trust me?”

“I do,” Lup says.

“Do you willingly offer me your trust?” the Raven Queen asks. Lup nods.

“I do,” she repeats. The Raven Queen pulls out a blade. Taako fights back on the instinct to run up and pull Lup away.

“Do you willingly offer me your body?” the Raven Queen asks. Lup turns her hand over in the Raven Queen’s, so her palm is facing up.

“I do,” Lup says again. The Raven Queen cuts her palm, and Lup flinches, but the Raven Queen just drops the knife, then reaches up and strokes Lup’s hair back from her face. She holds Lup’s head in place.

“You’re going to be okay,” the Raven Queen promises her. Lup nods. The Raven Queen picks her knife up again, then slices her own hand. She places their bleeding palms together, then puts her uninjured hand over Lup’s stomach. Lup shuts her eyes, brow furrowing, and then she gasps, a weird sort of shaky exhale, all the air punching out of her lungs at once. Taako jerks forward, but Barry grabs his hand.

“She’s okay,” Barry says, but he’s not looking away from the two women, either. Taako lets Barry hold his hand as they stand there and watch. Taako wants to smack the Raven Queen away, wants to take Lup away, hide her in the woods, help her deliver her baby himself. He doesn’t entirely understand what the hell’s going on, anyways—

—Or, at least, he doesn’t until the Raven Queen pulls her hands away from Lup, and she’s holding a screaming newborn in her hands. Taako looks to Barry, who looks shell-shocked.

“That’s it?” Lup asks. The Raven Queen hands her the squirming baby, covered in blood. Lup presses the baby to her chest, looking baffled.

“Oh, that’s fucking unfair,” Taako says. “How come I had to go through a week of labor but she gets her baby fucking magically manifested out of the air?”

“Lup has a reaper’s body and a lich’s form,” the Raven Queen says. “She can’t be naturally delivered of a living child. I had to use my divine intervention.” The Raven Queen presses her bleeding hand to the baby’s face. “What is her name?”

Lup looks back to Barry, and Barry releases Taako’s hand to sprint to her side, kissing her hard on the side of her face. She laughs, looking happier than Taako’s ever seen her before.

“You can use the name you wanted,” Barry tells her. Lup grins at him, and he kisses her again.

“Her name’s Delilah,” Lup says. Taako inches up to her side, watching as the Raven Queen smears blood over the kid’s face.

“Delilah, I swear my blood vow here and now. You are under the protection of the Raven Queen, and will remain as such for eternity. I bless you and your line. You will be safe with me for all eternity.” The Raven Queen removes her hand, and Lup pulls Delilah close again, smudging blood all over the top of her wedding dress. Taako thinks she’s honestly never looked more beautiful.

“You may return home,” the Raven Queen says. “I will not contact you for a job until you contact me. Let me know when you are ready to return to your tasks.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Lup says. The Raven Queen puts her hand on the top of Lup’s head.

“I am proud of you, my children,” she says. She tears a portal back to their home into the space beside them, and Barry helps Lup through it. Taako goes to follow, but the Raven Queen stops him with a hand on his shoulder.

“I appreciate all that you do for my children,” the Raven Queen says. She releases him, and— apparently that’s all she wanted to say.

“No problem,” Taako says. She helps him through the portal, then stitches it up behind him once he’s through. He comes back out on the other side, back in his garden, but everything’s been cleaned up and it’s pitch black.

“Looks like we were there longer than I thought,” Barry comments. Lup hurries back over to her table and digs through her bag before unearthing a pair of sunglasses, which she slips on her gross baby.

“Fucking rad,” Lup comments. Barry puts his arm around her.

“Good move,” Barry says. “Start her off right.”

Taako goes to them, lifting the sunglasses off the baby and using his hand to wipe the blood away from her face.

“She looks a lot like you,” Taako comments, to Lup. She does; she’s got light blue skin like they do, tiny pointed ears, a beautiful little face, matted blonde curls all over her head. She’s mostly asleep, face pressed to Lup’s chest, but she yawns.

“She looks like both of you,” Barry points out. “Like, a lot. Like, why’d I even bother fathering this child when she looks nothing like me?”

“We’ll get her a little jean jacket,” Lup says. “Then everybody’ll know she’s yours.”

“Sounds good,” Barry tells her. He kisses her again, and Taako hugs Lup from the side.

“Good work,” Taako says. Lup leans into his touch, laying her head on his shoulder.

“Not such a bad thing to want,” Lup says, like she had the night before. Taako turns his face into her hair.

“Still fucking unfair that I had to shit my kids out myself and you just got a goddess to summon yours out of your body,” Taako tells her. Lup laughs, but it sounds a little wet; when Taako ducks his head down, she’s crying slightly. “Oh, man, you big baby.”

“Shut up, goofus,” Lup replies. She runs her thumb over her daughter’s cheek. “I can cry as much as I want, I had a baby.”

“You _obtained_ a baby,” Taako says. _“I_ had a fucking baby.”

“Screw you,” Lup says. She looks up at the house; the lights are all off inside. “Hey, do you mind covering for us? If we just go to our rooms?”

“No problem,” Taako says. “Take all the time you need, I’ll just tell them the Raven Queen stole your baby and you’re on a quest to get her back.”

“Perfect, thanks,” Lup replies. Taako follows them as Barry does a horrible job of trying to sneak Lup and Delilah back into the house without making any noise. Taako thinks the people sleeping on the floor of his living room are pretending not to wake up just for Lup’s benefit, but he watches her step over them anyways, until she makes it to her rooms. She turns and offers him a wave, then a thumbs-up. Taako gives her a thumbs-up back, and Barry brings her into their rooms, closing the door behind them.

Taako leaves them, locks the front door and goes to his bedroom. The lights are off, so he lights the candles on the side tables. Magnus sits up, looking at him in the darkness.

“What time is it?” Magnus asks. Taako shrugs.

“I honestly have no idea,” Taako says. “Time is like, weird. In the Astral Plane. I guess.”

“It’s a time vortex,” Kravitz mumbles. “It takes the time it needs to take from energies.”

“That makes no sense,” Magnus tells him. Taako sits down on the edge of the bed.

“Help me out of this?” he asks. Magnus sits up, and Taako feels his big, warm hands unbuttoning the back of his dress.

“It’s a really pretty dress,” Magnus comments, his voice low. “You look good in it.”

“Save it for tomorrow,” Taako tells him. “I just watched a goddess magically suck a baby out of my sister, I don’t have the energy for penetration.”

“That’s colorful,” Kravitz comments, voice muffled by his pillow.

“You didn’t see the shit I’ve seen today,” Taako says. He stands and shuffles out of his dress.

“So, she had the baby?” Magnus asks. Taako folds his dress over the back of Kravitz’s chair, then hesitates. He takes a seat in the chair, folding himself up into it to the best of his ability, leaning his head back against the cushion.

“The Raven Queen used divine intervention to magically remove the baby from her without Lup actually doing anything,” Taako explains. He shuts his eyes and exhales, letting his shoulders relax.

“So… yes?” Magnus asks. Taako hears Kravitz huff a laugh.

“Yeah, dingus, she did,” Taako tells him. “Girl. Named her Delilah.”

“Is she cute?” Magnus asks. Taako opens one eye to look at him in the dark.

“Yeah,” Taako says. “She looks like Lup.”

“So, she looks like you,” Magnus says. Taako opens his other eye. Magnus is looking back at him in the flickering candlelight. Taako rests his hands on his thighs, forcing his fingers to loosen and relax.

“Kinda,” Taako says. He shuts his eyes again. “I don’t look so much like Lup anymore.”

“You do still look a lot alike,” Kravitz comments.

“You didn’t change _that_ much,” Magnus says. Taako hears the bed creak, and when he opens his eyes, he’s looking up at Magnus, standing over him. “I bet she’s beautiful like you.”

“She’s beautiful like Lup,” Taako says. Magnus rests his chin on the top of Taako’s head, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. Taako slumps in his hold, burying his face in Magnus’ belly. He sighs. “My sister has a kid.”

 _“You_ have kids,” Magnus says, into his hair. Taako shrugs.

“But they were mistakes,” Taako says. He hears Kravitz laugh again. “She got married today. And had a kid. On _purpose._ That’s fucking ridiculous.”

“Yeah,” Magnus agrees. He starts rubbing Taako’s back, and Taako just leans into him. Eventually, Magnus straightens up, probably because his back is bothering him from being bent at that angle. Taako takes the opportunity to stand.

“You two go to bed,” Taako says. “I’m gonna go sit in the nursery for a little bit.”

“Okay,” Magnus says. He kisses Taako’s cheek before he goes, and Taako leaves them in the candlelight to go sit in the nursery. When he cracks open the door, he finds Lup sitting on the floor, back against the wall, holding Delilah.

“What’s up?” Taako asks, shutting the door softly behind him. He sits beside her, and she drops her head onto his shoulder.

“Barry fell asleep,” Lup says. “I just couldn’t, though. I wanted to keep looking at her. Then I wanted to see how she should sleep, so I came in here, but I didn’t want to go back out, so I stayed.”

“Oh,” Taako says. “Uhh— Okay. Yeah, sure.”

Lup holds Delilah out, and Taako takes her, carefully. It’s been a year and a half since he held a baby this small, and he missed how she fits into his arms. He runs the pad of his thumb over her ear from the lobe to the point, then strokes through her hair. He can feel her heartbeat.

“She’s cute,” Taako says. “Like, for real. Not even lying, like I usually am about ugly babies.”

“Thanks,” Lup laughs. She keeps her head on his shoulder, reaches up to stroke Delilah’s cheek with her fingertip. Taako looks down at her, then looks up. From where he’s sitting, he can only see Blaine sleeping in her crib.

“You got married and had a kid today,” Taako says. “On _purpose.”_

“Trust me, you’re not freaking out more than I am,” Lup replies. He rests his cheek on the top of her head. “She _is_ cute, though.”

“No shit,” Taako tells her. “Stop fishing for compliments, it’s ugly on you.”

“Shut up.” Lup yawns, her jaw cracking against his shoulder. “Thanks for today.”

“Sorry you’re spending your wedding night with me instead of your fucking husband,” Taako says. Lup shrugs.

“It’s not like I’m letting him touch me again for another seven years,” she says, and Taako laughs. “Well, maybe. If I get another one of her out of it.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Taako agrees. Lup yawns again, and when he twists to look at her, her eyes are half-closed. He settles in against the wall, looking at his niece.

“I’m not letting Barry put any denim on her,” Taako says. Lup huffs a laugh.

“Too late,” Lup murmurs. “He’s got dibs on dressing her tomorrow.”

“Fuck him, I take double dibs,” Taako says. Lup nods. Taako goes quiet, letting her rest.

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any requests for this series, let me know!
> 
> I also actually wrote two books! It was a long road but, I did it! Ta-da! If you want to read either of them, shoot me a message!
> 
> I have a blog now to request imagines - I just like to make people happy. Submit requests [here!](https://imagine-in-the-fandoms.tumblr.com/ask)
> 
> You can follow me on Twitter at [@nicolelianesolo](https://twitter.com/nicoIodeon) or on Tumblr at [andillwriteyouatragedy](http://andillwriteyouatragedy.tumblr.com/).


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